No Senator in 50 years

The country celebrates today the 74th year since the Department of Labor was opened on Dec. 6, 1933.

Sen. Enrique B. Magalona authored Act. No. 4121. Magalona came from Saravia town, now named in his honor.

I am not sure but it seemed the first Labor Secretary who also later became a Senator was Ramon Torres of Bago. Incumbent Bago Mayor Ramon (Monet) Torres is his grandson.

Negrenses had been fighting in the forefront for labor. I hope to write later how Negrenses or the sugarcane planters lost the goodwill of the country, thinking we were anti-labor.

Many were not aware of the glory of Negros Occidental, in the past. Before World War II, there were many Negrense senators. But we never had one since the late 50s.

Iloilo never missed one. Recently it had two, Franklin Drilon and Miriam Defensor. Drilon was even Senate President. And Miriam is still there. It had Roding Ganzon, too. Capiz has one, Manuel (Mar) Roxas. And he might be the next President.

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Talking of labor-oriented leaders who look after the welfare of labor, Congressman Inocencio V. Ferrer authored the Social Security System Act, the SSS. Ferrer, like Magalona and Torres, was a labor leader.

And add to our province's glory, we produced two Speakers of the House, Gil Montilla and Jose Yulo. We also produced two Executive Secretaries, Jorge Vargas to President Manuel Quezon, and Rafael Salas to Ferdinand Marcos.

And was not our last Senator Jose Locsin of Silay?

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We never lacked senatorial candidates. But lately no Negrense wanted to run for the Senate anymore.

I can recall three Negrenses who tried their hand. Arsenio “Buc-an” Yulo, Wilson Gamboa, and Francisco Chavez.

They came out very disappointing. Candidates from other places get more votes in Negros than they did. Even if they lost in other places, if only they topped in Negros Occidental.

Disappointing, too, was Jose Yulo. When he ran for the Presidency in 1957, his showing in Negros Occidental was not impressive. Many supported Carlos Garcia, a Boholano for their own private vested interests.

Why are we this way?

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In the 2010 election, the country will again elect 8 Senators.

Do you see a Negrense possible of running? And if he runs, can he top the slate in Negros Occidental? Forget his getting elected all over. But how can he win when in his own turf he cannot convincingly carry the votes?

We do not have one yet who has created an image of leadership, of fighting for the people and independent-mindedness like Loren Legarda, Francis Escudero, Panfilo Lacson, or Joker Arroyo and Edgardo Angara.

With just less than three years before the next election, do you see one in sight to be our senatorial candidate?

The House of Representatives is the breeding ground for Senators in the same way that the Senate is the breeding ground for Presidents.

In the U.S. , presidents mostly came from the States, equivalent to our province here. We never had a president who came from the provinces immediately before the Presidency. Roxas was governor of Capiz very much earlier.

In the U.S. , presidents came mostly from the rank of governors. Ronald Reagan from California , Jimmy Carter from Georgia , Bill Clinton from Arkansas , and now George W. Bush from Texas .

That is why their president's training is as an executive. Ours is as legislator. We need executive-oriented presidents. That when they travel abroad they bring along governors and mayors to study the work of their counterparts there.

Imagine if President Arroyo brought to Europe 37 governors and mayors! There would have been less criticisms.

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If we look at the Congressional horizon here, I have two in mind who might make it to the Senate in 2010 – Ignacio Arroyo Jr. and Monico Puentevella. To me, Kako Lacson is the best to field but he lacks the national media exposure that Monico and Iggy have.

Iggy might have a problem, the spillover of criticisms on GMA and Mike Arroyo. But he still can make it. The dashing, handsome Iggy, though, must first settle the differences between his two beautiful lady staffers, Dolly Yasa and Grace Ibuna.

Monico has more reasons to make it. It's just a matter of crafting a good image. I do not see in other congressmen here what I see in Monico.

Monico has what the Yiddish call “chutzpah” or audacity. He is bold, daring, fearless, and willing to take risks.

They call it guts. Monico is gutsy.

The only problem I see is he has to craft an image of independence. Monico is fawning, fond of open display of servile affection towards all the bosses he has had.

It's a matter of redirection if he wants to. I like his audacity, his boldness, his willingness to take risks that will make a good senator.

The mayorship of Bacolod ? I don't know but in my own opinion and looking at the past records of their fights, if elections were held today, Bing Leonardia will beat Monico Puentevella. But the ball is round. As Ping Lacson is often quoted: “Bilog ang mundo”.

Let me state both are my close friends.*

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